It's In The Genes
by Jeune Ecrivain
Summary: Second generation crossover. An ironic repetition of familiar events unfolds when a Troyela son meets a girl on vacation and the two discover their hidden talent: singing. But what if that girl happens to be a Moliver daughter?
1. Chapter 1

**It's In The Genes**

**By Jeune Ecrivain**

**Rating: T**

**Summary: When the Bolton family goes on vacation in 2030, history repeats itself. This time, however, there's a bit of a twist.**

"Chris, I think you've done enough reading for today, especially considering where we are."

Chris Bolton looked up to find his mother, Gabriela, smirking gently at him as she pulled his Latin primer out of his hands. "Sorry, Mom," he said. "I'm just really into this stuff."

"Just like your mother was into math and science," a male voice interjected. "You're not exactly one to talk about having your nose stuck in a book, Gabby." Chris' father walked up and sat down on the couch next to his son.

"Yeah, but at least I was always reading something different. Your son here has reviewed the same chapter half a dozen times," Gabriela told her husband.

"That's the way it is with a foreign language," defended Chris. "If you don't stay in practice, you lose it."

"I'm still trying to figure out how basketball player plus math-slash-science whiz equals foreign language prodigy. That's some funky genetic math, if you ask me," observed the elder Bolton male with an impish smile on his face.

"Troy, we're at Disney World!" Gabriela reminded him, ignoring her husband's attempt at humor. "Would you please tell your son he needs to get his nose out of Cicero long enough to have some good old-fashioned fun while we're still here."

Troy smirked gently at his wife and turned to face Chris. "Well, as much as I admire your passion son, your mother's right. This is vacation! You'll have plenty of time to brush up on your Latin after we move into our new house in California."

"They're having a dance in the ballroom for all the older kids at the resort. Why don't you go check it out?" Gabriela suggested.

"I guess you're right," Chris replied, thinking that it might be fun to leave the room for a while. He couldn't help but smile in amusement as he rose to his feet. Sometimes, his mom was actually quite cool. Other times, she was just the typical doting mother. Yet, Chris wouldn't have it any other way. He sighed as he approached the door, reminding himself that one never knows what could happen. He'd been told the story of how his parents met enough times to have that concept pretty well ingrained in his thinking.

"Be back by 11," Troy called over his shoulder.

"Not a problem, Dad."

---HSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSM---

"Give me an S! Give me an E! Give me a…"

"Emily, don't tell me we traveled all this way just so you could do more cheerleading!"

The energetic cheerleader put her pompoms down and looked at her father, her wavy blonde hair falling to rest on her shoulders. "C'mon, Dad! I'm working on my own original cheer routine!" she protested. "Boy, if my coach likes it…"

"Emily, it's Disney World! You can do plenty of cheerleading at home, but while we're here, you oughta be out there seeing the shows and riding the rides."

Emily sighed. "I know. I just really wanna get this thing perfect. I'm the captain of the cheerleading squad. Sooner or later, they're going to expect some original material from me."

"Then worry about the 'later' instead of the 'sooner,'" supported Emily's mother as she emerged from the bathroom. "You're a talented girl. I know you'll come up with a great cheer. But for right now, just go out and have some real fun! That's what your father and I are doing."

Emily looked indecisive for a moment, but then, she smiled warmly at her mother. "You're right, Mom," she decided, throwing her pompoms aside. "I heard there's some sort of dance going on in the ballroom. Maybe I'll drop by." She headed for the door. "Might even meet a cute guy!" she added over her shoulder as she opened it.

Her father squirmed. "Wait a minute. Emily, maybe you should work on your routine after all. Practice makes perfect, you know."

Emily giggled before disappearing out the door.

"Isn't it a little cold to be wearing that skirt?" her father called out.

Emily's mother rolled her eyes at her husband's change of heart. "Let her go, Oliver."

---HSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSM---

Chris weaved his way awkwardly through the crowd. The dance had turned out to be quite lively. The attendees ranged in age from about 12 to about 18, and the DJ was playing various tracks from the DisneyMania series of albums. As far as youth parties went, it was one of the more suited to his tastes. He inwardly expressed gratitude to the whole Disney atmosphere for keeping things light-hearted as he made his way to the refreshment stand. When he finally reached his destination, he was quite pleased to find that the line was quite short and promptly staked out his place in the shortest one.

Meanwhile, the charismatic DJ let the last song fade out and leaned slightly into the microphone that was propped up in front of him. "Well, folks, we've heard some of the best Disney classics sung by today's hottest stars, but I say we shake things up a bit. Forget the stars for a moment, and let's hear what some of you guys can do with these Disney tunes. That's right, people! It's random karaoke time!"

_This'll be interesting_, Chris thought to himself as he watched two spotlights start wandering about the ballroom in search of its victims. His idle amusement stopped, however, when one of the headhunter spotlights landed squarely on him. He froze like a deer in headlights. _Oh, stercus_ (A/N: _stercus_ is Latin for "dung" or "feces." Just think of a four-letter synonym for that, and you'll get his meaning.) He grinned nervously. "I don't think so," he said as casually as he could. "I can't sing. No, really. I can't carry a note! No, seriously!" It was no use. Before he knew what was happening, he found himself ushered onto a central platform with a microphone staring him in the face. He was soon joined by a blonde girl about his age who looked a little more confident than he was sure he looked but still a little unsure of herself. Looking beyond the girl, however, was a very intimidating crowd. Chris looked around anxiously, not sure what to do. He glanced at his female companion for possible support, but she seemed to be looking for the same thing from him. He realized his indecision had cost him the opportunity to bow out with some amount of dignity when the first chords of a familiar song began playing. Chris exhaled, closed his eyes, and decided that he had nothing more to lose. He waited for his cue and began to sing.

_I can show you the world,_

_Shining, shimmering, splendid._

_Tell me, princess, now when did you last  
Let your heart decide?_

To his surprise, he seemed to at least have no trouble staying on key, and several faces in the audience actually looked a little impressed. This spurred him on a little, and his voice grew somewhat stronger.

_I can open your eyes;_

_Take you wonder by wonder_

_Over, sideways, and under,_

_On a magic carpet ride_.

As the music swelled, so did his boldness. He allowed himself to belt out the first chorus freely.

_A whole new world;_

_A new fantastic point of view._

_No one to tell us no_

_Or where to go,_

_Or say we're only dreaming._

As he carried the last note of the chorus, the most angelic sound he had ever heard floated into his ears. A glance at the girl next to him confirmed what he had heard. He stared in awe as her melodic voice joined in.

_A whole new world;_

_A dazzling place I never knew,_

_But now from way up here_

_It's crystal clear_

_That now I'm in a whole new world_

_With you._

As he echoed her last two lines, he saw her catch his eye. Whatever shyness she had was suddenly gone from her face, and she smiled happily at him. Despite himself, he found himself grinning back as he listened to her sing the next verse. She was actually starting to enjoy herself, and her enjoyment was contagious.

_Unbelievable sights,_

_Indescribable feelings;_

_Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling,_

_Through an endless diamond sky._

They were both now singing wholeheartedly. All insecurity had left them, and each felt a unique sense of companionship with the other. Neither knew where their courage was coming from, but what they did know was that they were actually having fun. Their feet began dancing seemingly of their own accord, and they looked into each other's eyes like longtime friends as they sand gleefully.

_A whole new world;_

_(Don't you dare close your eyes)_

_A hundred thousand things to see._

_(Hold your breath. It gets better)_

_I'm like a shooting star_

_I've come so far._

_I can't go back to where I used to be._

_A whole new world,_

_With new horizons to pursue._

_I'll chase them anywhere_

_With time to spare._

_Let me share this whole new world with you._

Hardly believing his own audacity, Chris stepped closer to his partner as the song began to dwindle. Her eyes seemed to welcome him, and the two grinned broadly at each other, each spurring the other on.

_A whole new world_

_(A whole new world)._

_That's where we'll be_

_(Where we will be)_

_A thrilling chase,_

_A wondrous place_

_For you and me_.

As the last notes faded, their expressions changed from one of delight to one of awe as they stared at each other, only somewhat noticing the thunderous applause that had erupted in the ballroom.

A short while later, Chris and Emily stood next to the refreshment stand having a rather animated conversation. Neither had yet completely grasped what had just happened, but that simple song had brought them together in a way that somehow just seemed to beg for further exploration.

"You're voice is amazing!" Emily exclaimed. "I don't know why you looked so nervous at first! You sounded awesome!"

"I could say the same for you! Man, you sounded like you belonged on a CD cover or something!"  
Emily blushed. "Thanks. What about you? Where'd you learn to sing like that?"

"My showerhead taught me," Chris quipped. _Since when did I have such wit?_ he marveled to himself as soon as the words had left his mouth.

Emily giggled. "That was just so cool! That's the first time I've ever done something like that!"

"Me too," Chris replied. "And that applause! Man! I think I owe it mostly to you. There's no way I'm that good by myself!"

"You are too! You have a wonderful voice. So soft and yet so manly at the same time."

It was Chris' turn to blush. "Thanks. But I still think you were the one who really carried the performance. Your voice is amazing! In fact,…do you mind if I try something?"

Emily shook her head. "No. What is it?"

"Do you know 'Best of Both Worlds' by Hannah Montana? My parents are always listening to their old CDs and stuff. Apparently, she was really popular when they were my age."

"Are you kidding? My dad has, like, every single album she ever made!" Emily answered.

"Great! Could you just sing a few lines for me. I'm curious about something."

Emily gave him a curious look, but obliged him tentatively.

_You go to movie premieres,_

_Hear your songs on the radio._

_Living two lives is a little weird,_

_But it's cool because nobody knows._

Chris nodded. "Yep. It's official. There's something very Hannah-Montana-ish about your voice. You sound a lot like her."

Emily looked pleasantly surprised. "Really?"

"Totally. In fact,…you look a lot like her, too."

"Are you serious?"

"Absolutely! If they ever make a bioflick about her, you'll be a shoe-in for the title role!"

Emily blushed and slapped him on the arm playfully. "You know…" she said in digression "we just had the time of our lives together, and we've been talking for a while now, but we still don't know each other's names."

Chris slapped his forehead and chuckled. "Where are my manners?!" He then made a show of formally extending his hand, which made Emily giggle. "Chris Bolton" he introduced himself.

His female companion took his hand warmly and responded in kind. "Emily Oken."


	2. Chapter 2

**It's In The Genes**

**By Jeune Ecrivain**

**Rating: T**

**Summary: When the Bolton family goes on vacation in 2030, history repeats itself. This time, however, there's a bit of a twist.**

**A/N: I've changed the year to 2030 because I realized that I'd neglected to do the math. Chris and Emily are both 16, so if the story takes place in 2025, they would've had to have been born in 2009. As a reference point, I assumed the ages of the two parent couples in 2006 as 14 for Oliver/Miley and 16 for Troy/Gabriela. So, this would mean that Miley and Gabriela gave birth when they were 17 and 19 respectively, which is a little younger than I'd like. So, I skewed the timeline by five years. This means Miley had Emily at 22 and Gabriela had Chris at 24, which seems more reasonable.**

Emily Oken sighed as she took the final step off the bus and onto the expansive campus of Seaview High School for the first time in three months. After a long summer, she couldn't help but smile at the prospect of all that could happen as the new school year unfolded. While she did her best not to let it get to her head, she took comfort in the fact that, as varsity cheerleading captain for the Seaview Lions, she had staked out a valuable position in the high school social hierarchy. She also prided herself in that she was not one of those air-headed teen socialites that only gave cheerleaders everywhere a bad rep. Nope. Emily Oken pulled her weight in the classroom and earned good enough grades that the teachers at Seaview had little concern for her future. To top it all of, she had the support of two loving parents who were still happily married. In fact, sometimes her mother and father could be a little too openly affectionate for her taste. As she often reminded them with a roll of her eyes, "it's really sweet, but I could really do without the mental images."

As she entered the large main hall of the school and made her way to her locker, her thoughts drifted back idly to that night at Disney World. Ads for Disney theme parks always promised "magic," but her most recent visit had delivered in a more literal way than ever before. She giggled softly at how shy Chris had seemed at first, and marveled at how he could be so unsure of himself with such a great voice. She was also still tickled by the fact that he had noticed her uncanny resemblance to Hannah Montana. If she'd had a dime for every time someone her parents' age had remarked about it, she would've been be a very wealthy girl, but it was exceedingly rare for someone of her generation to notice.

After all, Hannah Montana was largely relegated nowadays to the nostalgic dances and high school reunions of the current generation's parents. She was a symbol of a time since past. At the height of her career, when new teenage fans were joining the then twenty-somethings who had been loyal fans from the start, most critics agreed that she had the potential to have intergenerational appeal. Sadly, she mysteriously disappeared from public view around the time Emily was born (A/N: Gee, I wonder why ;- ), never to be heard from again. There were theories galore about what had happened to her, but none had really gained widespread acceptance. Hannah Montana was just gone, pure and simple.

Thoughts of Chris and how fun it had been singing with him followed Emily to her locker, where they were finally cut short by her friend Danielle, a tall, pretty African-American who never seemed to take off her cheerleading outfit. "Hey, Emily!" she said cheerily as she approached the squad captain. "What's up?"

"The ceiling," replied Emily with a smirk.

"Ugh! You get me with that joke every time!" her friend groaned. "Anyway, how was your summer? I missed you so much while I was in Michigan!" Danielle's parents had split up years ago, and she alternated between spending vacations with her mother in Malibu and her father in Detroit.

"It was…fun." Emily inwardly debated telling her about the singing incident, but decided against it. She wasn't sure if Danielle would understand, even if there was a cute guy involved. "I hung out at the beach a lot, and when I wasn't there, I was usually art the mall with Linda and Natalie. Then my folks and I went to Disney World for a week. We had fun there, too."

"Cool!"

MOLIVER&TROYELA

Chris Bolton weaved his way through the congested halls of his new school, scanning the classroom doors for the right number. For the moment missing the familiarity of his old school, he nevertheless looked forward to his first semester in California with optimism. He had managed to procure both Latin and French as electives, and he was advanced enough in both that there remained room later on in his high school career to resume his formal studies of Spanish and Italian. A scholar at heart, Chris had long ago settled into the role of the shy brainiac. He hoped to make a few good friends, but he didn't even give the "cool" crowd a second thought. In fact, he estimated that his reputation as the "freaky language boy" would be well established within a month's time.

"_Hic sum_," Chris remarked silently to himself as his eye fell on the door to room 147, his new homeroom. "_Et sic incipit_." He opened the door and stepped in, and the murmur of roughly 25 chatty voices greeted him. Finding an empty seat with practiced speed, he claimed it as his own by slinging his backpack beside it and sliding into it. As he waited for the teacher to call the class to order, he found himself reminiscing fondly about the karaoke incident at Disney World. It was a pleasant break from routine, and he liked the idea that he may have discovered a hidden talent. Singing with Emily had made him feel like something more than a shy brainiac. It was new in a very exhilarating way.

As he looked around idly, the girl who sat two seats in front and to his left caught his eye. There was something familiar about that blonde hair. Could it be…? He leaned to forward to get a closer look, but the teacher unfortunately chose that moment to officially inaugurate the new school year.

"Okay, people, let's get some order in here." The woman who had risen from her desk next to the dry-erase board was thin with shoulder-length blonde hair and brown eyes. She wore white pants and a colorful blouse. "First off, for those of you who don't know me, I'm Mrs. Farforth, the drama teacher here at Seaview High. I'd like to welcome you all back to school," she began. "Hopefully, you come with optimism and drive instead of apathy and lethargy."

Keeping his ears tuned on the teacher, Chris let his eyes wander back to the suspicious blonde head. He tried his best, but he couldn't get a good look and still be inconspicuous about it. After a few moments he decided to take a better look when the morning dismissal bell rang.

"The principal has told me to announce that the Seaview is now using a different food service. You can pick up all the information you need in the cafeteria. Also, the guidance counselors' offices have moved to the administration building." After giving these announcements, Mrs. Farforth began to speak with a more passion. "Finally, it gives me great pleasure to inform all our thespians that Kelsi Cross, the famous Broadway writer-slash-composer, has generously endorsed our school to stage the charter performance of her latest work, _Just Like Kindergarten_! Auditions will be held during free period throughout the week. I hope to see some familiar faces as well as some new ones on stage this year!"

As if on cue, the morning bell sounded through the intercom, and the classroom was once again abuzz with chatter. Despite his doubt that it was actually Emily, Chris made his way out of the classroom as quickly as possible so he could stand outside and scan the crowd. Glancing at each female figure that exited the room in rapid succession, he finally caught sight of the girl he was looking for, who herself appeared to be looking around for something. He was finally able to get a definitive view of her face, and to his surprise, it was indeed the very girl who had played Jasmine to his Aladdin on that fateful evening. In amazement, he opened his mouth to speak and paused nervously before he found his voice. "Emily?" he said, his tone asking for confirmation that it actually was her.

The girl turned abruptly to face him, and their eyes met. Her jaw dropped. "Chris? Holy crud!" she exclaimed as she approached him. "I thought I might've seen you in there, but I figured I was probably mistaken."

Chris smiled brightly. "Same here," he admitted.

"What are you doing here?" she grinned back. "I didn't think I'd ever see you again after what happened at Disney World!"

"My folks and I just moved here. My mom got a job here."

"Talk about a weird coincidence!" said Emily. "I don't believe it! What are the odds?!"

"I know! I never thought I'd see you again either, but apparently fate had other plans."

Emily chuckled. "Fate, huh?"

Chris blushed slightly. "I'm a deep thinker sometimes. Sue me."

"Nah. This is high school. We need all the deep thinkers we can get around here."

"Yeah, you're probably right."

Emily smirked good-naturedly at him. "So have you been doing anymore singing lately?"

"No," Chris replied. "I still haven't convinced myself that I actually can sing. I keep wondering if that night at the resort was just a fluke or something."

"I know. It's really new for me too. I haven't even told my friends about it. I'm not sure how they'd react to a cheerleader breaking into song." Emily tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

"You're a cheerleader?"

"Varsity captain," she nodded.

Chris' eyes widened. He never would've figured her for a member of the popular crowd, where such a position would most assuredly place her. Granted, he'd only known her for a short while, but still, she seemed so…down-to-earth. "Wow! I'll bet that's cool!

"Yeah, it's really fun." She caught a glance of her watch. "But I will get kicked off if my GPA drops, which means I'd better not be late."

Chris was startled. This was the first time in his life he'd ever risked being late for a class, not to mention the fact that it was his first day at a new school. "Right," he agreed. "See ya around, then?"

"Count on it," said Emily over her shoulder as she walked away. "Great seeing you again!"

"You too!" replied Chris as he watched her disappear around a corner. As he took off towards his own class, he couldn't help but feel that something new might be starting for him. He couldn't explain it, but he suspected he'd be seeing a lot more of Emily Oken.


	3. Chapter 3

**It's in the Genes**

**By Jeune Ecrivain**

**Rating: T**

**Summary: When a Troyela son and a Moliver daughter meet and end up going to the same school, history is bound to repeat itself.**

**A/N: Okay, I've decided to give some basic descriptions of the characters' looks to help out all you visualizers out there and, in a few cases, to serve as hints. Here are the descriptions for the character's we've met so far and the ones we'll meet in this chapter.**

**Chris Bolton – Think of Gabriela masculinized, with Troy's hairstyle.**

**Emily Oken – Pretty much the spitting image of Miley, with the exception that she's a natural blonde with bangs and has Oliver's eye color.**

**Danielle – Just picture Emily from Life With Derek.**

**Mrs. Farforth – Imagine a thinner Darbus with slightly longer hair.**

**Ted – A blonde-haired, blue-eyed Ricky Ullman.**

----------MOLIVER&TROYELA4EVER----------

"Emily!"

Emily Oken rolled her eyes as a familiar yet uninvited arm wrapped around her shoulders as she walked to her next-to-last class. _When is this guy going to take a hint?_

"I've been looking all over for you," said Brian Deffor in the suavest tone he could muster. "I hope the two of us can catch up in between classes and such. I really didn't see much of you this summer."

"Yeah," Emily said with a polite chuckle, inwardly berating herself for being too nice of a person to humor him for so long. Brian Deffor was Seaview High's resident drama king, and it was no secret that his greatest aspiration outside the theatre was to win a date with Emily. He'd been a fixture in her life since freshman year, always making small talk and casual flirtations with her as he flaunted his theatrical talents in a constant attempt to impress her. Emily had tried letting him down easy several times, but eventually she just gave up and learned to tolerate him. Sometimes, he was somewhat amusing, but he was mostly just too one-dimensional for her taste. She admired his passion for drama, but he seemed to take it all so seriously as to suck all the art out of it.

"Not to worry, though," continued Brian. "With each new school year comes a wealth of new possibilities."

Somehow, the phrase "new possibilities" made Emily think of Chris. Ironically, the one time something Brian said meant something to her, it wasn't what he probably intended. "That's a nice way of looking at it," she replied.

"And I'm going to do everything I can to secure a ticket for you to the winter musical. Chantel and I would both like to see you in that auditorium on opening night."

Somehow, Emily doubted that Brian's cousin and performing partner had ever truly expressed a desire for her presence. Chantel was certainly as talented as Brian, but she tended to follow his lead with little independent thought. Brian was the driving force of the pair, and the whole school knew it. "Well, we'll see what happens. Good luck with your auditions," Emily said, even though Brian and Chantel getting the lead roles in the semester musical was as routine as the cafeteria serving mystery meat every Thursday.

"Thanks," Brian nodded. "We're hoping to inspire some new students to get involved in the school theatre. There are always a lot of supporting roles available."

Emily gave him a plastic smile. _Seriously, how do you fit your head through the auditorium doors?_

"Well, catch ya on the flip side," Brian concluded, finally removing his arm and making what he thought was a clever parting hand gesture before running off to attend to matters of the theatre.

----------MOLIVER&TROYELA4EVER----------

"Hey, _nove alumne_, wait up!"

Upon hearing a distinctly Latin phrase, Chris Bolton turned to find a bespectacled blonde running up to him. Chris recognized him as a classmate from Latin III, but as yet he had no name to associate with the otherwise familiar face. "_Mihine loqueris?_" he asked.

"How did the Romans survive without a word for 'yes'?" was the humorous response. "That was quite an impressive stunt you pulled there," the pursuant continued, looking genuinely impressed. "I take it your last Latin teacher was a Living Latin proponent?"

Chris nodded. "My last teacher believed strongly in learning Latin as if it were intended to be used as an actual mode of communication and not just a way to decipher Roman literature."

"It shows," said the blonde. "You actually introduced yourself in Latin! Not even the teacher was expecting that! It was kinda cool."

"Thanks," Chris replied. "I like it. Sometimes I actually use it as a code to mystify people. It's kinda fun to tease 'em like that."

"I'll bet!" The fellow Latin student extended his hand abruptly. "I'm Ted, by the way."

Chris shook his hand firmly and responded with his own name. Formalities aside, the conversation continued.

"I have to say, I didn't expect you to be a Latin geek…or any kind of geek, for that matter," said Ted.

Chris looked at him curiously. "Why not?"

"I'm pretty sure I saw you talking with the varsity cheerleading captain a while ago, and usually someone with the clout to talk to her isn't someone of the more studious persuasion."

"Emily Oken," Chris confirmed. "Yeah, there's an interesting story behind that. At any rate, I think she's a pretty cool girl."

"Yeah, she's not stuck-up like a lot of girls in her position. I'll give you that, but still…she's not exactly someone people like me usually feel comfortable approaching too often."

"Why not?"

For a moment, Ted looked at his comrade like he had two heads. Then, a look of realization appeared on his face as he slung his arm casually around Chris' shoulders. "Let me tell you how things work at Seaview High," he began much like a professor starting a lecture. "You know that archetypical high school social hierarchy that pervades the plot of pretty much any teen movie or sitcom. Well, it may be one big cliché, but I'm afraid that you've just walked onto one campus where it's pretty close to the reality. You have your cheerleaders, your jocks, your nerds, your goths, your drama geeks, your emos, and, of course, the ever-anonymous middle class. Jocks date cheerleaders, nerds either date each other or their favorite textbooks, the middle class aspires to date jocks or cheerleaders but end up dating each other, _et cetera_."

Giving the last phrase its proper Roman pronunciation, he broke away from Chris as they approached a group of tall, imposing males wearing team jackets. "Allow me to demonstrate." Chris watched Ted remove his glasses and close his eyes for a moment in silent self-assertion. Then, Ted proceeded to interject into the jocks' conversation in his best macho voice. "Dudes, isn't Emily Oken, like, the hottest thing ever?!"

A roar of concurrence sounded from the jocks, and as they proceeded to discuss the not-so-G-rated things they'd like to do with Emily, Chris and Ted excused themselves without notice.

Chris looked over his shoulder, letting the implications of Ted's demonstration sink in. "So you're telling me that life here is pretty much like a teen soap opera?"

"Not quite as serious, but yeah, pretty much." The boys were now approaching the school's main bulletin board. "My advice: sign up for the first academic competition that comes around and don't look back. The best thing is to find the clique where you fit most naturally and take root." His gaze intensified with eagerness as an idea struck. "The Forum Latinum is coming up in the spring, and we could really use someone like you."

"I'll check it out," Chris grinned. "But I'd like to keep my options open," he added, feeling oddly emboldened by the singing incident with Emily.

"Alright, that's fine," Ted nodded. "But trust me. The best thing to do in a school like this…is stick to the status quo."

**TRANSLATIONS:**

_nove alumne - literally "new student"; loosely "new kid"_

_Mihine loqueris - Are you talking to me?_


	4. Chapter 4

**It's in the Genes**

**By Jeune Ecrivain**

**Rating: T**

**Summary: When a Troyela son and a Moliver daughter meet and end up going to the same school, history is bound to repeat itself.**

**A/N: Unfortunately, I'm no songwriter, so I'm going to have to use Disney songs to stand in for songs that would be in Kelsi's musical. I pulled a personal favorite from the Lion King II for this one.**

**Character Descriptions:**

**Brian Deffor – Think of Sam from "Life With Derek"**

**Chantel Deffor – Think of AJ Michalka with auburn hair.**

----------MOLIVER&TROYELA4EVER----------

Emily Oken closed the door to her locker with its usual _clang_ and sighed softly to herself. It was only the second day of school, and she was only beginning to settle back into the routine of it all. Yet there was something stirring within her that was a tad out of the ordinary. After only the second encounter with Chris Bolton the day before, she found herself thinking even more about their first meeting and how refreshing the experience had been. Even if she had never seen Chris again, singing with him would somehow be an experience she wouldn't be forgetting anytime soon…and perhaps not ever. With him going to her school, the feeling that her life would never be quite the same was reinforced.

What struck her the most, however, was that her thoughts were now inexplicably drawn towards the stage. On her way home the previous night, she had mused to herself about the possibility that she'd discovered a hidden talent. Did she really have the potential to be a performer? Such thoughts had occupied her mind for the rest of the night and remained with her the following morning. What's more, her mind was growing increasingly bold in its exploration of this new territory.

By now, Emily was feeling simultaneously intrigued and intimidated by this internal debate. Asserting its presence now was the inevitable temptation to experiment, and Mrs. Farforth's reminder about the auditions being held in the auditorium had only fanned the proverbial fire. She was seriously considering visiting the auditorium, if only as a mere spectator, which in itself was quite an intimidating idea. Yet her curiosity was fast gaining the upper hand.

She turned to find two of her cheerleading companions approaching her, as yet unaware of her proximity. Acting on impulse, she decided to make a break for it. Turning on her heels, she hurried as quietly yet quickly as she could down the hall. Feeling her friends' eyes now upon her, she ducked into a nearby classroom that she knew contained an adjoining door to the one right next to it. She went through the door joining the twin classrooms just as her two friends approached the first door. Wasting little time, Emily stepped back out into the hallway through the second room's primary door and silently passed her friends by just as they had surmised her previous move.

Emily descended the west staircase and exited via an auxiliary door at the base of the steps. She was now in plain view of the auditorium's rear-entrance, connected to the main building via a covered outdoor walkway. Spotting her coach coming her way, she concealed herself behind the side of a long array of lockers and waited for the sturdy woman to disappear through a door on the opposite side of the locker array. Taking a moment to make sure the coast was clear, she jogged the rest of her way to the large double doors and stepped inside quietly.

Emily found herself in the back of a huge assembly of mostly empty theatre seats. At the base of the slanted audience seating area stood Mrs. Farforth facing the impressive stage, and a few aspiring thespians sat anxiously in the front row. Emily stealthily claimed a seat in the back row. Half-squatting and half-sitting, she peered out from above the back of the seat in front of her as Mrs. Farforth's eloquent voice echoed throughout the entire building. Out of the corner of her eye, she recocgnized Brian and Chantel Deffor. She mentally smacked herself on the forehead. She should've known they'd be there. If Brian saw her, he would surely take it as a sign of interest and never leave her alone again. She knew she should probably leave before he spotted her, but her newfound curiosity would hear none of it. That intangible something was still holding her interest, and she tentatively decided to stay and hope for the best.

"Chelsea, how about we let them try the duet from the first act," she heard Mrs. Farforth say to a somewhat mousy girl sitting at a large piano. "That's really the best song for testing their voices, anyway."

Emily watched as a boy and a girl stepped up onstage, their nervousness obvious. After a few moments of preparation, the girl called Chelsea began playing soft notes on the piano, and the boy gingerly started singing into the mounted microphone before him. He girl joined in after a few lines. Emily had to admit that they sounded decent, but they were somehow…unremarkable. She could only wonder what the two singers could be feeling, paradoxically wanting and fearing to feel it herself.

As the hopeful pairs took to the stage one by one and attempted to earn a piece of the spotlight, Emily realized that the first had actually been the best. One couple was horribly off key. In the case of another, the guy sounded great but the girl sang as if she was trying to shatter glass. In still another, the girl sounded beautiful but the guy sounded flat. Still another couple never sang at all, but rather simply stood there petrified by stage fright.

Just as Emily mused that the girl from one pair and the guy from another would've both been shoe-ins if they weren't so mismatched, she felt a slight motion beside her. She turned her head and came face to face with Chris.

"Hey," he whispered.

"What are you doing here?" she whispered back as he took a seat next to her and assumed a position similar to hers.

"Honestly,…I don't know," he said softly. "I guess I'm just curious, for some reason."

"Did our little incident together give you a taste for the spotlight?" she teased.

Chris smirked good-naturedly at her. "I might ask you the same thing."

Emily blushed slightly and decided to turn her attention back to the auditions. Brian and Chantel were now mounting the stage, giving the impression that they were perfectly at home atop the polished wooden platform. Brian was dressed in a pair of designer jeans, a white polo shirt, and a blue blazer. Chantel, a slightly petite girl with auburn hair, was clad in a floral-print blouse and khaki mini-skirt. They both appeared perfectly calm and confident as they adjusted their respective microphones.

"What key are you guys using?" Chelsea asked.

"Oh, don't worry about that," Chantel replied coolly. "We came up with an accompaniment track of our own."

Brian set a small boom box atop the piano. "Here you go, piano-girl. Just press 'Play' and let us do the rest."

Before Chelsea could respond, Brian turned on his heel and took his place in front of the microphone with Chantel following suit. "Let's do it," he said with a snap of his fingers.

Chelsea resignedly followed Brian's single instruction of a few seconds ago, and an upbeat, sped-up version of the music Emily had heard during every previous audition immediately filled the auditorium. Brian began singing, and Chantel joined in at just the right moment. The two cousins proceeded to perform as if they were born to be on stage. Their timing was perfect, their voices were melodious and blended together perfectly, and to top it all of, they spiced the song up with a dance routine apparently of their own invention.

"Wow! They're awesome!" Chris observed silently, in awe of the impeccable performance being played out before him.

"Yeah," Emily agreed. "They are really talented. I just wish they didn't monopolize the theater. Do you realize that those two have played the lead roles in every single school play since kindergarten? It's like clockwork. The worst part is it's really gone to their heads. They think every role is owed to them or something. I don't think they've thought of auditioning as actually earning the roles in a long time. More like just a formality."

"Monopoly of the stage, huh?"

"Exactly!"

The Deffor cousins soon finished their performance and were greeted by a resigned round of applause from Chelsea the few other hopefuls who had remained to watch the show. Mrs. Farforth's applause, however, was significantly more eager. "Well done, as always, Brian and Chantel! The effort you've obviously put into your audition will bed duly noted."

"Mrs. Farforth," Chelsea spoke up, "that was a really great performance, but I'm not sure if that tempo is what Kelsi Cross had in mind when she wrote this."

At this, Brian shook his head and chuckled, as if amused by the naïve words of a child. "Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea," he said, "playwrights write plays all the time with the expectation that the actors interpret it in their own ways. That's how it works in the theatre. The writers write the words and the music, and the actors use their own gifts to make something out of it all that the writers never could. Writers can't sing or act, so I think it's best to just leave that part of it to the people who know what their doing."

"Still, is it not the actor's job to at least pay some respect to the playwright's intentions?" Chelsea argued, albeit somewhat meekly.

"Well, we could argue that point back and forth, but even so…are you Kelsi Cross?"

"No, but…"

"Well then, I rest my case. So you really have no interest in how we do this. You just play the music Mrs. Farforth gives you and leave the rest to us, ok?" Brian spoke with superficial friendliness, but his subtly intimidating demeanor caused the shy girl to just nod in acceptance.

The issue having been resolved, the crowd soon dispersed. Mrs. Farforth promised everyone that the names of the people receiving callbacks would be posted on the bulletin board very soon. The now-dejected hopefuls were the first to leave. Brian and Chantel followed Mrs. Farforth out the door, spouting pretentious yet flattering theatrical remarks along the way. As this was happening, both Emily and Chris felt a sudden urge to come out of hiding and request a chance to audition, but the uncertainty of what such a move would entail kept them silent.

Before they knew it, the only figure left in the auditorium besides them was Chelsea, who sighed resignedly before starting to gather her affairs and depart. As she turned to leave, an unseen impediment caught her foot and caused her to trip. A flurry of papers descended on the stage floor, and she looked at the mess hopelessly. At this, Chris' compassion took over. He stepped into plain view for the first time and jogged up to the stage. A surprised yet intrigued Emily followed soon after.

The petite pianist almost didn't notice Chris as he approached her. She looked surprised yet too occupied with her current predicament to properly greet him. "Let me help you with that," Chris offered as he bent down and proceeded to pull together the loose sheets of paper.

"Thanks," replied Chelsea.

Emily, who had caught up to Chris seconds before, silently knelt and picked up a few paper stragglers. "You're really awesome on the piano," she said, feeling like Chelsea deserved some recognition after the way Brian had treated her.

"Thanks," Chelsea answered again, her tone belying puzzlement at having received two compliments in the space of 30 seconds. She looked up to see who had spoken the second one, and her eyes widened. "Emily Oken," she realized.

"Hi!" Emily responded, feeling a little awkward. She had never grown completely comfortable with the reverence most of her peers had for her. She loved cheerleading, but there were times when she could've done without the issues of status that come with it. This was one of those times.

"Emily's right," Chris concurred, almost seeming to sense her awkwardness and rush to her aid. "You're really talented. I don't think Brian and Chantel give you enough credit."

"Yeah, why do you take that stuff from them, anyway?" Emily asked indignantly.

"Well, they are the best performers in the school," Chelsea reminded her, rising with her now neat folder of papers clutched tightly to her chest.

"Yeah, but that doesn't give them the right to put you down like that," Emily stated.

"Oh, well, I guess I've just learned to put up with it, then," replied Chelsea. "I just wish they didn't have to be so big-headed with this play." She shook her head. "That new tempo they used for the song, it just doesn't do justice to what Kelsi Cross intended."

"Are you a fan of her work?" Chris asked perceptively.

Chelsea smiled genuinely. "Definitely! I really admire how she draws her stories from people she's known in real life! Plus, she writes the best songs!"

"Will you play one for us?" Emily requested hopefully.

Chelsea blushed. "Sure. Let me show you how the duet we've been doing is s'posed to sound." She resumed her seat at the piano, and a soft melody filled the auditorium once more.

Chris found himself quite enjoying the tune that filled his ears. Turning to look at Emily, he found her smiling as well. When she caught his eye, she gave him a pointed look. He shot her one back, knowing perfectly well what she was suggesting. Finally, he chuckled at the situation and decided to just go for it. Throwing Emily a final meaningful glare, he tentatively began singing the lyrics he had learned well enough from having watched the auditions.

_In a perfect world, _

_One we've never known,_

_We would never need_

_To face the world alone._

Emily smiled in admiration of Chris' gentle voice, and in appreciation, she joined in.

_They can have the world._

_We'll create our own._

_I may not be brave, _

_Or strong, or smart,_

_But somewhere in my secret heart,_

Chris rejoined Emily, and their voices blended in perfect harmony for the second time.

_I know_

_Love will find a way._

_Anywhere we go,_

_I'm home_

_If you are there beside me._

_Like dark turning into day,_

_Somehow we'll come through_

_Now that I've found you._

_Love will find a way_.

As Chelsea played the last dwindling notes, in awe of what she had just witnessed, Chris and Emily were gazing pleasantly at each other, reveling in how much they had enjoyed singing again.

Chelsea opened her mouth to berate them for not having auditioned, but another voice stopped her before she had a chance. "Oken, Bolton,…"

The three teens turned to find Mrs. Farforth standing in the door to the auditorium's large entry hall. "I left my audition notes in here a few minutes ago, and I'm now quite glad I did," she said. "Oken, where have you been hiding that beautiful voice all this time? I daresay you seem to resemble a certain pop star from my generation vocally as well as physically! And you, Bolton! I'm very impressed, to say the least!"

Emily blushed crimson, and Chris felt a little odd getting such unusual attention. "Oh, we were just goofing off," Emily said.

"Well, if that's what you call 'goofing off,' let's see what you can do when you're actually working towards something! I expect to see you both back here in two weeks for our second round of auditions." Emily and Chris' jaws dropped. "Consider yourselves called back!" The drama teacher tucked the paperwork she had come to retrieve under her arm. "Chelsea will work with you on preparing a song to perform at your callbacks."

"Gladly!" Chelsea interjected, barely able to contain her excitement.

Mrs. Farforth sighed contentedly and added softly, "Good luck to you both! I think you two could make a fine Gabriel and Tracy."


	5. Chapter 5

**It's in the Genes**

**By Jeune Ecrivain**

**Rating: T**

**Summary: When a Troyela son and a Moliver daughter meet and end up going to the same school, history is bound to repeat itself.**

**A/N: Until now, the plot has pretty much been that of HSM with a few unique touches. This chapter draws much more from HM. I'm going to try to make this a crossover in terms of plot as well as characters. **

**Character Descriptions:**

**Jackie Stewart – looks very much like Lily, but with brown hair and green eyes**

Upon returning home from school that day, Emily Oken headed straight for the beachside fast-food restaurant that was practically in her backyard. She habitually passed a few hours of leisure time before dinner here, mostly chatting with her cousin who worked as a waitress. Actually, the only thing that distinguished Jacqueline "Jackie" Stewart from a bartender was the fact that she served everything BUT liquor. She was a laid back yet adventurous girl with auburn hair and green eyes. Upon finding Jackie perched in her usual place behind the bar-style meal counter, Emily marched up, swiftly claimed a stool towards the end of the counter, caught her second best friend's eye, and wasted little time in blurting, "You are not going to believe this!" With that, she proceeded to recount everything that had happened in the halls and the auditorium of Seaview High. As she spoke, her cousin listened with amusement and surprise dancing on her features. Upon finishing her tale, Emily looked at Jackie expectantly.

"I say go for it!" the hostess said simply.

"You think so?" Emily replied skeptically.

"Absolutely! You've been cheerleading ever since you were in a grade level where cheerleading was an option! I know you enjoy doing it, but there's still something to be said for trying something new every now and then."

"I don't know. I mean, I'm a cheerleader. That's what people know me for in school. Auditioning for the school musical is the last thing they'd expect from me. My friends will probably just tell me to stick with what I know I'm good at so I don't risk humiliating myself. And what if I try this and completely blow it? Will that make my friends think I'm reckless or wishy-washy? I mean, part of me really wants to give this singing thing a shot, but…"

"…you're also afraid to leave your comfort zone," diagnosed Jackie. "It's understandable, but I still think you're overanalyzing this. Just go with your gut, Em. That's what I'd do, especially if there was a cute guy involved."

"I never said Chris was cute," Emily reminded her, a slight pinkish tint on her cheeks nevertheless betraying her.

Jackie smirked and scoffed simultaneously. "You didn't have to."

"What are you saying?"  
"Nothing," the young waitress shrugged, the smallest hint of a teasing smile playing at her lips. "I just…really think you should see where this singing thing takes you."

Emily opened her mouth to respond, but a slightly shrill voice ringing with mock sweetness stopped her with a "Hey, Jackie!"

The target of this call rolled her eyes. "Great. The day wouldn't be complete without HER making an appearance," she observed dryly, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Emily turned to find a familiar eight-year-old Latina approaching, her pigtails conveying innocence in order to hide the prankster within. It was no secret that she and Jackie had been rivals since the latter's first day on the job, and their reciprocal pranks were often the talk of the town. Unfortunately, since the younger girl's father owned the restaurant, she had considerably more bargaining power than the older.

"What do you want, Rica?" asked Jackie coolly.

"I want some sausage pizza!" ordered Rica Martinez as she climbed atop a stool near Emily.

"We only have cheese and pepperoni, Rica."

"I missed the part where that's my problem."

Jackie's eyes narrowed. "I'm not in charge of inventory, Rica. Talk to your dad's execs if you want sausage pizza to be on the menu."

Paradoxically sympathetic towards Jackie yet too amused to intervene, Emily just sat there and watched, her eyes darting back and forth between the two verbally dueling girls.

"Excuse me," Rica replied defiantly. "Whose name is on the sign above the front door, even though it's the boys' version?"

Jackie rolled her eyes and replied in a tone that mixed annoyance with resignation. "Yours."

"That's one," Emily observed, drawing a vertical line on the chalkboard next to her that usually declared the daily specials.

"And whose father built up said person's grandfather's small concession stand into a statewide fast-food chain?"

"Yours."

"That's two," Emily said with a sympathetic grimace, updating her makeshift scorecard.

"And whose father might be persuaded to fire you if his little girl isn't happy? Does this look happy?" Rica contorted her face in an exaggerated scowl and made a show of pointing to it.

"And we have a winner," Emily said apologetically as she marked a third strike and replaced the chalk she'd picked up moments before.

"Ugh! Fine!" Jackie begrudgingly conceded. "I'll chop up some of the breakfast sausages and put them on a cheese pizza!"

"Necessity is the mother of invention." Rica wagged her finger as if to say "I told you so."

Jackie spent a few more moments glaring darkly at her before shaking the worst of her irritation off and proceeding to prepare Rica's pizza. "By the way," she said to Emily, "that scorekeeping thing: so not funny. But you can make it up to me."

"How?" Emily replied.

"Let me hear you sing something."  
Emily's eyes widened. "Jackie…"

"C'mon! Show me that hidden talent of yours! If Mrs. Farforth thought you were good, I want to hear it!"

"Here? Now?"

"Why not? I seriously doubt you're going to embarrass yourself if you impressed Mrs. Farforth. Say what you want about her, but she has an ear for talent."

Emily shook her head indecisively.

"Do it," Jackie said as she placed a cheese pizza in the oven, warm encouragement coloring her otherwise commanding tone.

Eyeing her cousin with a reluctant smile, Emily agreed with a sigh. "Fine."

"Sweet!"

The cheerleader-possibly-turned-singer exhaled, considering WHAT to sing. She momentarily decided it was probably safest to use a song from the pop star to whom she apparently bore such a strong resemblance. Bracing herself, she opened her mouth and began to sing.

_Oh, oh,_

_There you go again,_

_Talkin' cinematic._

_Yeah, you, you're charming._

_Not everybody's got that._

_I know_

_How you always seem to go_

_For the obvious, instead of me,_

_But get a ticket and you'll see._

"Yeah, that's what I'm talking about!" Jackie said with a grin as she started simultaneously chopping a sausage with a cleaver and bobbing her head to the beat of the song.

Emily's initially soft voice grew stronger as the mysterious pleasure she got from singing boosted her confidence. As other customers took notice of her and began clapping along to the rhythm, Emily stood up from her stool and smiled thankfully at them.

_If we were a movie, you'd be the right guy,_

_And I'd be the best friend_

_You'd fall in love with._

_In the end, we'd be laughin',_

_Watchin' the sunset._

_Fade to black,_

_Show the names,_

_Play the happy song._

Her shyness now completely gone, Emily was now singing and dancing as if she'd been born to be a performer. Pleasantly surprised smiles were on every face in the restaurant as the customers created an impromptu accompaniment track using their hands or toes.

_Yeah, yeah._

_Wanna see me and tell me all about her._

_La, la._

_I'll be acting through my tears._

_Guess you'll never know_

_That I should win an Oscar_

_For this scene I'm in._

_If we were a movie, you'd be the right guy,_

_And I'd be the best friend_

_You'd fall in love with._

_In the end, we'd be laughin',_

_Watchin' the sunset._

_Fade to black,_

_Show the names,_

_Play the happy song._

Emily continued to sing, having a kind of fun she'd never had before, and before she knew it, she was finishing the last chorus. She let her voice dwindle into silence, and no sooner had she grown quiet than her audience erupted in applause. Blushing madly, Emily managed a "Thank you" before reclaiming her stool in a daze. She looked up to find her cousin staring at her in awe.

"Wow!" Jackie said. "I'm no longer advising you to try out for the musical. I'm ORDERING you to try out! To miss a chance to show off that voice and those moves would be a crime against nature!"

"Jackie, stop it! You're gonna make me blush!"

"I hate to break it to you, but the blushing ship has sailed. It left port about three minutes ago."

Emily giggled and opened her mouth to retort but was interrupted once more, this time by a male voice.

"Excuse me," said a stout, balding man about her father's age. "I just wanted to say how impressed I was by that song. For a moment there, I thought Hannah Montana herself was here!"

"Thank you," Emily replied. "I'm kinda new to this singing thing."

"You could've fooled me!" the man said. "Anyway, what's your name?"

"Emily."

"Hi, Emily. I'm Sam Calders," the man replied, extending his hand for Emily to shake it, which she did. "I was wondering if you'd be interested in making some extra cash. I'm the manager of this new café that just opened up about a few miles from here. It's got a turn-of-the-millennium nostalgia theme to it. It's s'posed to be a place for people like your parents to have a good meal and reminisce about their teenage years. Anyway, we've been toying with the idea of hiring a Hannah Montana impersonator as sort of a gimmick, and I think you'd be a shoe-in!"

"You're kidding!" Emily said, somewhat in awe of what seemed to be unfolding before her.

"No joke about it. You have the most authentic sound I've ever heard and the looks to match!" The restaurateur paused, glanced at his watch, and promptly drew a business card from his pocket. "I got to run, but here's my contact info and the address. If you're interested, stop by sometime, and we'll see if we can work something out."

"Uh…ok. Thanks," answered a dazed Emily.

"Sure," said Sam before he turned and rushed out, apparently on his way to something important.

Emily stared after him and looked down at the card he had given her. _Could this day get any weirder?_ she wondered.

**A/N: If she thinks that's weird, just wait until she finds out WHY she looks and sounds so much like Hannah Montana, LOL! Oh, sweet irony! I love irony! Irony is my best friend! -stops and blinks in realization- I'm calling a literary concept my best friend. -sighs- It's official. I need a life.**


	6. Chapter 6

**It's in the Genes**

**By Jeune Ecrivain**

**Rating: T**

**Summary: When a Troyela son and a Moliver daughter meet and end up going to the same school, history is bound to repeat itself.**

**Character Descriptions:**

**Samantha – a brown-eyed, brunette version of Alyson Michalka**

"WHAT THE BLEEP?!"

The sound of Brian Deffor's voice resounded through the main hall of Seaview High School. Everyone within earshot turned to find the drama king and his cousin staring at the bulletin board before them. Drama geeks were certainly not at the top of the social hierarchy at Seaview, but they definitely had enough clout that, whenever something really rocked their boat, it got the attention of the entire student body. Consequently, a crowd formed around the two gawking thespians. Among them were impromptu delegates from each clique: a few cheerleaders, a few jocks, a few goths, a few skater dudes, a few brainiacs, and a few middle class members.

"Callbacks for roles Gabriel and Tracy: Brian and Chantel Deffor…Chris Bolton and Emily Oken," read Chantel in shock, confirming that her incredulous cousin wasn't hallucinating. "Date and time TBA."

"What the heck?!" said Danielle.

"Oy vey!" said Ted after craning his neck from the near-rear of the crowd to confirm Chantel's announcement. "_Quid fecisti, _Chris?"

"Is this some sort of joke?! They didn't even audition!" said Brian. "And who the heck is this Chris Bolton, anyway?"

"Isn't he that guy that Emily mentioned yesterday at lunch?" suggested Samantha, another cheerleader.

"Rings a bell," Danielle replied thoughtfully. "Although she sure didn't say enough to explain this!"

"I know!" Samantha concurred. "Did this new kid, like, trick her into auditioning with him?"

"I somehow doubt Chris would do something like that," Ted put in before he could stop himself.

"Do you know this guy, lil' bro?" Samantha asked.

Ted groaned. "Three minutes, Sam!" he reminded his fraternal twin for the umpteenth time since he was old enough to talk. "Anyway, we've met and talked a little. He's a real whiz at Latin!"

"Ah, a _latinus geekus_, is he?"

"Did you just say '_latinus geekus_'?" Ted said in awe of Brian's ignorant mockery of the language he loved. "I think Cicero just did a somersault in his grave."

"Who's Cicero?" asked Brian irritably.

"Only the greatest philosopher and orator Rome ever had," Ted responded dryly.

"Whatever. Look, I think it'd be best to advise your friend to stick to the stuff he knows."

"I did! I'm just as surprised as you are about this!"

"Well, Chris is one thing," interjected Samantha. "He's new here. But I've known Emily for years, and I have no clue what possessed her to even look at the audition sign-up sheet."

"That's just it," replied Chantel. "When Brian and I signed up, that sheet was blank except for our names. How did Chris and Emily go from not even auditioning to getting a callback?"

"I smell a rat," Brian concluded darkly. "I'm going to have a word with Mrs. Farforth." With that, the drama king marched off to find his favorite teacher. After a moment of indecision, Chantel followed him.

MOLIVER&TROYELA

"Congrats, Chris," Ted said after his newfound friend had recounted the unusual events that had earned him the unexpected callback invitation. "You may have just had the world's first accidental audition."

"Tell me about it!" Chris agreed as he started towards his locker. "I mean, we weren't even trying to impress anybody!" He smiled. "I gotta tell you, though,…it was kinda nice to hear that I may actually have a hidden talent."

"You're not actually considering this, are you?"

"Well, I don't know. I mean, first I'd have to see how Emily feels about it."

"Dude, trust me. I've heard you in class the past couple of days. Maybe you can carry a good note or two, but Latin is your talent! We could really use you in the Forum Latinum competitions this year! Maybe we can finally beat Wilkins' Prep Academy." He stared into blank space and scowled. "Cursed Wilkins and their private coaches and year-long practice sessions!"

Chris raised an eyebrow. "I'm guessing there's a grudge there," he observed.

"Let me put it this way. You know the street gangs from _West Side Story_?"

"Yeah."

"Enough said."

"Well, I'd be happy to help out," Chris said. "I just don't want to rule this singing thing out yet."

"Are you kidding? Do you know how busy Forum Latinum practice can keep you?"

Chris and Ted arrived at their destination. "Well, how much room for creativity do we have in this competition?" asked Chris as he proceeded to open his locker

"Plenty, I guess," answered Ted. "Anyway, hold that thought, 'cause I have to go turn in my extra credit translation, and then I think I'm going to have to spend free period catching up in algebra. See you tomorrow?"

"Sure."  
Ted nodded and took off down the hall, leaving Chris to finish opening his locker. Upon doing so, a folded piece of notebook paper fell out and onto the floor in front of it. Curious, Chris picked it up and unfolded it to find a note written in subtly feminine handwriting.

_Chris,_

_Please meet me in the sitting room in the third floor of the library. We need to talk._

_- Emily_

MOLIVER&TROYELA

"So he just offered you a job? Just like that?"

Chris and Emily were sitting alone in the all-but-abandoned "reading room" that constituted the little-known third floor of the Seaview High library. Having recounted her encounter at Rico's just two days prior, she could only nod in affirmation.

"Wow!" Chris marveled. "Sounds like you've been discovered!"

"Well, you deserve to get noticed too, you know, besides by Mrs. Farforth"

"Maybe, but I look and sound nothing like Hannah Montana. At least, I hope not."

Emily giggled. "No worries there. Trust me."

"So, are you gonna try out for the job?"

Emily shook her head. "I'm not sure. I'd have to talk to my parents about it.

Plus, it'd have to fit into my schedule, with cheerleading and everything."

"Well, for what it's worth, I think you should go for it!"

"Vote of confidence noted," Emily smiled. "Now,…" she digressed, growing somewhat serious. "…how about the callbacks?"

Chris sighed and paused before he spoke. "This is the first time I've had a chance to try something new in a long time. At my old school, they just called me the 'freaky language boy.'"

"Freaky language boy?" Emily repeated inquisitively.

"I've always had this weird knack for foreign languages. I can speak Spanish, French, Italian, and Latin quite well," Chris explained.

Emily's eyes widened. "Holy crud! That's amazing!"

"I'm glad you think so. Most people our age just think it's weird."

"Well, I think it's very impressive," Emily said in friendly defiance of popular opinion.

It was Chris' turn to blush. "Anyway, this whole singing thing was so unexpected, but I can't help but wonder if I could really make something of it. You know?"

Emily nodded. "I know how you feel. I'm finding that I actually enjoy singing, especially with you. I don't know what it is. It's like I don't really feel like just the head cheerleader around you. I feel more like…me. Just me, Emily Oken. It's kind of refreshing."

"Yeah, I know. Being around you makes me feel like more than just the 'freaky language boy,' too." Chris then looked her in the eye and smiled gently. "So, do you really wanna do the callbacks?"

Emily smirked playfully at him. "Hey,…just call me freaky callback girl.'"

MOLIVER&TROYELA

The next day, Chris and Emily approached Chelsea at lunch and told her their decision. The young pianist reacted as if she'd been taking caffeine intravenously and it had only just then hit her, gleefully rattling off possible days, times, and locations for practice sessions. The trio finally agreed on Monday during free period since none of them tended to be busy then.

"I'm so glad you guys decided to audition!" exclaimed Chelsea when Chris and Emily walked into the crowded music room when the time came for their first practice session.

Chris and Emily took a moment to look around. A grand piano stood directly ahead of them. To their right was a semi-organized array of musical instruments that included several drum sets, tubas, bugles, French horns, clarinets, flutes, cellos, and violins. To their left was a dry-erase board with a string of musical notes scrawled upon its surface. The place was oddly cozy, especially for a room that Emily had barely known existed prior to that day.

"First things first," stated Chelsea. "We need to decide on a song to perform for the callbacks. It doesn't necessarily have to be one from _Just Like Kindergarten_, but Mrs. Farforth would prefer that it at least be a Kelsi Cross original."

"Okay, so where do we start?" asked Emily, feeling oddly excited.

"Well, I went through some of her best work and picked out a few that I think would really work well for the two of you," Chelsea reported with a smile as she reached into her backpack and pulled out a folder full of sheet music.

Chris took the folder and opened it, holding it in such a way that Emily had a good view as well, and the two started scanning the titles and lyrics. "What kind of songs are these?" asked Emily. "I mean, what kind of music? Rock? Hip-hop?"

"Most of them are ballads of some sort, although some have a rock edge to them," answered Chelsea.

Chris stopped and looked more intently at one song. "Oh, my God," he said. "Is this what I think it is?"

"What is it?" asked Emily.

"These lyrics…They're exactly what my parents always used to sing to me whenever I was having trouble going to sleep."

"Aw!" cooed Emily.

"Prior familiarity is always a plus," observed Chelsea. "Let me see what you're looking at." She peeked at the page that Chris was reading and subsequently grinned broadly. "Oh, that one's a classic! Your parents used to sing it?"

"Oh, yeah. All the time," Chris confirmed. "In fact, now that I think about it, they're actually awesome singers." He chuckled in realization. "Maybe I actually inherited some of it."

"Perfect!" exclaimed Chelsea. "Why don't we give this one a shot? If you still remember the melody, you can teach Emily, and then I won't have to embarrass myself trying to sing a live demo."

Chris and Emily chuckled. "Alright," said the former. "You might have to refresh me if there are any blips in my memory."

"I think I can handle that," Chelsea replied thoughtfully as she took a seat before the piano. "I've actually played this one enough that I can play it now without the sheet music." She placed her fingers upon the keys with an artist's precision and looked at Chris as if to ask if he was ready. He exchanged a nervous but excited look with Emily before nodding at the petite pianist to go ahead. The soft tones of a distinct melody immediately filled the room, and Chris soon began to sing.

_We're soarin',_

_Flyin._

_There's not a star in heaven that we can't reach._

_If we're tryin',_

_Yeah, we're breaking free._

_You know the world can see us_

_In a way that's different than who we are,_

_Creating space between us,_

'_Til we're separate hearts._

_But your faith, it gives me strength,_

_Strength to believe._

Emily, who was following along by reading the lyrics on the sheet music, was quickly catching on to the melody. She was also observing the distribution of lines between the male and female voices as indicated. As she saw a repetition of the first verse approaching and assumed that the melody would be the same, she joined in. (_Chris_, _Emily_, **both**)

_We're breaking free!_

_We're soarin',_

_Flyin'._

**There's not a star in heaven that we can't reach.**

_If we're tryin',_

**Yeah, we're breaking free.**

_Oh, we're breaking free._

_Ooh-ooh-ooh._

Chris and Emily smiled broadly at each other as they continued to sing. Emily did her best to learn the melody as she went along, and she greatly appreciated the looks of encouragement from Chris. Before either knew it, the last dwindling notes of the song sounded from the piano. Chelsea turned to face them, grinning from ear to ear. "That was awesome, especially for a first rehearsal! We are so going to cream the Deffors!"

The trio continued to rehearse for the rest of free period, tweaking Emily's knowledge of the melody. Chris and Emily were once again having a kind of fun they'd never had before their fateful encounter, and Chelsea was excited beyond words. All three left the music room that day feeling optimistic and very content.


	7. Chapter 7

**It's in the Genes**

**By Jeune Ecrivain**

**Rating: T**

**Summary: When a Troyela son and a Moliver daughter meet and end up going to the same school, history is bound to repeat itself.**

**A/N: Finally, an update! This is a very important chapter, so read attentively!**

"Are you sure Mrs. Farforth doesn't mind us being here?" asked Emily as she followed Chelsea into said teacher's office the following afternoon.

"Nah," Chelsea replied. "I don't want to brag, but I'm kind of her protégé. She told me a long time ago that I could use her office whenever I needed and even gave me a spare key. Since our first choice is being fumigated, she'll understand. Trust me."

Chris stood immediately behind Emily and surveyed the room. A large desk partially obscured by scattered sheet music and playbills sat in the far corner, lit by a window that hovered above the computer keyboard that lay upon it. Next to the desk was a small piano, and all along the walls were posters advertising Broadway performances of classic musicals, including _Grease_, _Rent_, _Twinkle Town_ and _Cats_. A cozy couch with rich burgundy upholstery sat opposite the piano, and a bookcase was mounted on the wall above it.

"This is a nice office," Chris remarked. "And look,…" He pointed to a large framed photo on the desk. "…there's an autographed picture of Hannah Montana!" Emily spotted it and half-smiled.

"This is my home away from home, practically," said Chelsea as she took a seat on the piano bench.

Emily didn't know whether to be sympathetic or impressed. Either Chelsea's home life was incredibly dull or she was simply that serious of a musical theatre aficionado. "You're really into musicals, aren't you?"

Chelsea chuckled. "Music is my life, and I guess I just grew to love theatre just as much. I'm Seaview High's resident musical theatre geek."

"Particularly when it comes to Kelsi Cross, apparently," Emily teased.

The petite pianist nodded, a slightly sheepish smile playing on her lips. "Yeah. I could probably recite her biography by heart, if you can believe that."

"I can believe it," Chris said. "You're really passionate, and I think that's cool."

"In fact, that's probably what makes you so good at what you do," Emily added.

"Thanks," replied Chelsea, blushing slightly. "I'm just really excited that our school gets to do the first ever performance of Kelsi Cross' latest work! I don't know how Mrs. Farforth pulled it off!"

"What's the play about, exactly?" asked Emily.

"It's about this popular jock and this shy nerd-girl who accidentally meet and find out that they both love to sing. They end up trying out for the school musical, and that completely shakes up the social hierarchy at their high school. That's the Cliff-Notes version, anyway."

Emily nodded. "Cool. Kinda parallels what we're doing," she observed with a chuckle.

"Yeah, it does, in a way," Chris agreed. "How ironic."

"Kelsi Cross' plays very often focus on characters based on real people that inspired her in some way," Chelsea reminded him. "Die-hard fans love to speculate on how inspired-by-a-true-story each of her plays is and who the real-life people were who inspired the main characters!" She paused. "She has written a few that are quite obviously complete fiction, though. I think the best one is _Salt and Pepper_."

"_Salt and Pepper_?" Emily repeated, amused at the odd title.

"The title makes more sense towards the end," Chelsea explained knowingly. "It's so romantic! It's about a family from the 23rd century that gets stranded in our time 'cause their time machine broke down. They spend four years trying to live as normal 21st-century people. Keith, the oldest son, makes friends with a local girl named Penny. He eventually tells her his secret, and they have a bunch of funny-slash-dramatic mishaps where they have to come up with some scheme or other to keep Keith's secret under wraps. Eventually, Keith and Penny end up falling in love, but then his dad fixes the time machine, and the family had to go back to the future."

"Aw, that stinks!" Emily protested.

"Totally!" concurred Chelsea. "But at the end, Keith talks his family into moving back to our century for good, so it all worked out in the end! That's another thing I love about Kelsi Cross: happy endings through and through."

"But that still doesn't explain the title," Chris stated.

"Oh, I'm not going to spoil that sweet little detail. You'll just have to go see it sometime," Chelsea replied impishly, earning a smirk from each of her companions. "Anyway, we only have so much time here, so let's get some solid practicing in!"

"Okay," Chris sighed, looking to Emily for confirmation, "let's do this!"

Thus began another round of "Breaking Free," with Chris and Emily singing their hearts out like they had at Disney World. Instinctively, it seemed, they even began arranging a rudimentary dance routine to accompany the music. Chelsea grinned as Chris and Emily belted out the chorus, their voices seeming to complement each other perfectly. The song came to an untimely end, however, when one of Chris' dance moves caused the backpack that was still on his back to collide with something atop Mrs. Farforth's desk. Chris stopped singing immediately only to find the photo of Hannah Montana lying on the floor. What's more, he had apparently hit it in such a way that the back of the frame had detached from its clasp, spilling the frame's contents.

The naked photo lie face-down on the floor, and the red light filter that Chris had recently used in a classroom optics experiment had apparently fallen out of his backpack and landed on top of the picture's back surface. No damage appeared to have been done that a little reassembly couldn't fix. However, all three teens quickly made two striking observations: 1) a smaller, hidden photo was now exposed as well, and 2) the back of the larger photo was densely dotted with tiny red spots that obscured what appeared to be bluish handwriting.

"Huh!" Chris said curiously. "Looks like one of those answer cards from a game of Clue." Ironically enough, he no sooner said this than noticed a patch of written text revealed by the red filter.

Emily had apparently seen it too. "There's something written on it!"

Curiosity getting the better of him, Chris picked up the photo and the filter and read the hidden message aloud.

_Dear Sarah,_

_I can't thank you enough for keeping your promise to never tell my secret. When you caught me with my wig off, I thought it was all over, but you were so understanding when I hopelessly confessed everything. We'd only just met, but after our talk, I had a feeling I could trust you. I'm so glad my gut turned out to be right. However brief our encounter may have been, I count you as a friend. Only three people outside my family know the truth: my best friend Lily, my boyfriend Oliver, and know you. _

_I never did get to tell you how this whole disguise thing started, so I guess now is as good a time as any. When I was first starting to be noticed as a singer and saw that I might potentially become a bona fide pop star, I realized I didn't want to become like other teenage divas. Even at the age of 12, I somehow knew that there was more to fame than glamour. Celebrities have no private life whatsoever, and a lot of times, the fame goes to their heads or the pressure gets to them, and they end up screwing their lives up in some way or another. _

_My dad believed this was because people treat them so differently, and they lose touch with what it's like to be an average citizen. I didn't want to be like that. The problem was, I still loved singing and dancing and entertaining people. I just couldn't bring myself to swear off performing. I didn't know what to do. Then, one night, I happened to be channel-surfing, and I came to a Superman movie. It hit me right then and there! If superheroes can use a secret identity to do what they do and still live a normal life, why not a rising performer! One blonde wig later, Hannah Montana was born._

_It's so important to me that my secret identity stay a secret, so I can do what I love and still live a normal life. I really do have the best of both worlds, and thanks to you, it can stay that way. I'll always remember your kindness and understanding, and I hope we meet again someday. Until then, please keep my senior yearbook picture along with this autographed photo of my celebrity self as tokens of my sincere appreciation. I'll always consider you a true friend._

_Sincerely,_

_Miley Stewart_

"Wow!" Chelsea breathed. "That's just…remarkable!"

"I know!" Chris said, genuinely bewildered by the uniqueness of it all. "Hannah Montana had a secret identity. Superheroes do this stuff all the time, but who would've ever thought that a pop star would do the same thing! Celebrities do face a lot of pressures and stuff, and she found a way to cushion herself against them." He grinned. "It's brilliant! I'll never listen to 'Best of Both Worlds' the same way again! Isn't it just genius, Emily?"

Emily didn't respond, and her two friends noticed automatically that she looked more bewildered than both of them combined. She stared at the frame and hidden photo in a daze.

"Emily?" A puzzled Chris approached her slowly, trying to read her expression. Before he could make any further queries, she snatched up the hidden photo and looked at it intensely for a second. She then pulled out her pocket PC and started pushing the keys madly.

"My mom's maiden name was Destiny Hope Stewart, but anyone who was ever even remotely close to her called her Miley," she explained hastily, not looking up from her handheld. "My dad's name is Oliver, and I have an aunt named Lily."

Chris and Chelsea exchanged shocked looks while Emily's facial expression remained a mixture of bewilderment, apprehension, and determination. Chris sat down beside her and saw that she had logged onto a popular digital yearbook hosting site.

"Seaview High School…Malibu, California…Class of 2010," Emily muttered to herself as she typed it all into the search query form. A new page appeared representing the main base for the Seaview High class of 2010's digital yearbook, and she wasted no time in finding the "Search by Name" query box. "Stewart, Destiny Hope" Emily typed aloud, giving a hearty sigh before clicking on the "Go" button.

A picture appeared on the screen, and Emily held up the hidden photo next to it. She gasped when her suspicions were confirmed. The pictures were identical!

"Holy crud!" breathed Chelsea.

"_Stercus sanctum_!" supplemented Chris.

Emily reached into the back pocket of her jeans and pulled out what looked like a permission slip. "This is for the competition that's coming up. Mom and Coach know each other well enough that Mom's nickname works fine for something like this," she said. She held her hand out to Chris, and Chris intuitively knew what she wanted. Handing her the letter, he watched eagerly as she placed the permission slip next to the signature on the back of the Hannah Montana photo. The difference between "Stewart" and "Oken" didn't prevent the first-name portion of each signature from showing clearly that they were both written by the same hand!

Emily's arms fell to her sides in shock. The coincidental names revealed in the letter had been earth-shattering enough, but to have the results of both of her impromptu tests add to the mounting evidence left almost no room for any doubt. She wasn't imagining anything or jumping to wild conclusions. This was either a very elaborately staged hoax, or her mother was Hannah Montana! "She's my mother. I mean, my mother is her," she stammered before exhaling sharply. "I'm Hannah Montana's daughter!"

Chris shrugged and smiled weakly in an awkward attempt to ease Emily's shock as well as his own. "Well, look on the bright side. At least now you know why you look and sound so much like her."

**A/N: Another irony-filled (and probably long-awaited) chapter! I really mulled it over in my head about just how Emily would find out about her mom, especially since I wanted Chris to be in on it. This is the one scenario that really seemed to stick with me for whatever reason. I'm not sure if it seems a little contrived or not, but I hope you liked it! Also, **_**stercus**_** means "dung" or "feces," and **_**sanctum**_** means "holy" or "saintly." One of my favorite ways to cuss without actually cussing is to use literal Latin translations of the desired phrase, so that's what Chris is doing here.****HH**


End file.
